Chennai airport: 2 held for smuggling hawala money

Chennai: A city-based businessman and an
airport employee were arrested here on Sunday for allegedly trying
to smuggle out USD 35,000 to Singapore after the suspected
hawala money was seized from the checked-in baggage.

Shajahan, who was booked on an Air India flight to
Singapore, and Prasad, a catering superintendent employed at
the airport, were arrested after Directorate of Revenue
Intelligence sleuths unearthed the money from the luggage of
the passenger following a tip-off, officials said.

They said Prasad had allegedly placed the foreign currency
in the luggage after it was checked in by Shajahan.

The money was suspected to have been part of a hawala
transaction and further investigation was on, they said,
adding the luggage with the cash was retrieved from the
aircraft.

Surveillance at the airport had been stepped up following
a recent similar attempt to smuggle contraband with the help
of a private airline employee, the officials said.